DLs Get Green Light

 

NZTA has given KiwiRail the sign-off for its new DL locomotives - so they can now be used on the rail network for full commercial services.

The new locos have been tested as part of the commissioning and driver training process.

They will be used initially between Mt Maunganui and Kinleith and then used in the services to Kawerau and Murupara. A DL will be taken through to Auckland shortly to carry out track interface and clearance testing.

The new DL locomotives

Although KiwiRail can use them on the network, there are still some issues apparently.

There will be some speed restrictions in some parts of the network.
Officials quoted in the latest KiwiRail staff newsletter say this is because they still don’t fully understand how the suspension on the locomotives interacts with track conditions in New Zealand and mechanics are working with the supplier to “model the interface between the locomotive and the track to understand the impact of those effects.”
DL locomotives should be operating on key lower North Island routes later this year once the remainder of the DLs arrive and have been commissioned.

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1 Comments

 
  1. Paul in Sydney says:

    Great step forward

    Have any of the others arrived yet?

    They will be doing the milk run by the sounds - lower north island etc

 

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